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Everyday heroes
United Way launches annual campaign
flash mob 2
Dancers and community leaders surprise luncheon guests with a flash mob dance number to kick off the United Way of the Coastal Empire campaign kickoff. - photo by Photo by Calli Arnold

United Way Kickoff

The United Way of Effingham County will have its campaign kickoff Wednesday at the Effingham Career Academy at 11:45 a.m.

The United Way of the Coastal Empire launched another season of fundraising Thursday at the Savannah Civic Center where this year’s campaign goal was unveiled to a beat.

One at a time, members of the MPB Dance Group twirled and bounced about the stage in front of hundreds of the Coastal Empire’s business, community and nonprofit leaders, finally spinning around to reveal the goal: $8,255,555.

Between now and Nov. 18, businesses, community leaders and volunteers, as well as the UWCE Campaign Cabinet and local United Way leaders, will be high-stepping all of Coastal Georgia to meet and hopefully surpass this goal, in order to continue funding the many nonprofits and programs that United Way supports. UWCE is comprised of Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties.

Last year’s campaign exceed its $8 million goal by more than $100,000, with Effingham County contributing $307,000.

Pacesetters, including Georgia

Power, the Effingham County Board of Education and others, have already raised $1,021,732.

This year’s theme is "Everyday Heroes" but guests were brought into the spirit of the campaign when, at the beginning of the kickoff luncheon, a flash mob of dancers came from all over the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena , including many business leaders, United Way workers and campaign heads, as well as the BPM Dance Group.

This year’s campaign chair is Michael Traynor, who will travel the Coastal Empire dressed as the fictional everyday hero Clark Kent. Dinah King is vice-chair of the Effingham campaign and Julie Hales again will head the Effingham effort.

Rep. Buddy Carter: Granddaughters Survived Texas Camp Flooding That Killed Their Cousin
Buddy Carter
Rep. Buddy Carter spoke publicly about the loss of his granddaughters' cousin in the Texas flooding.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., who represents Effingham County, said his twin granddaughters survived catastrophic flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas, but their 9-year-old cousin, Janie Hunt, was killed. Carter shared the heartbreaking news on social media and in interviews with Fox News, CNN, and Atlanta News First, revealing that Janie’s body was found on her mother’s birthday. Carter said his granddaughters survived by climbing onto a roof and waiting for rescue.
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